I'm leaving on Janurary 4th to study abroad in Liverpool, England for five months. I've never been out of the country before, and yet here I am, shipping (plane-ing? Okay that was lame) off to stay in another country for almost half a year. Can someone say "travel anxiety?" I'm pre-stressing about what to pack, what NOT to pack, how to pack, and whether or not I'm going to survive multiple layovers in unfamiliar territory by myself (though I'll have a fellow OBU student with me). Not to mention having to figure out how to make my way around a completely different culture, while at the same time moving in and making sure I have what I need there.
My last couple of weeks at OBU had a slightly melancholy haze over them. I couldn't help but wonder if each time I saw my senior friends would be the last (since I'm returning after their graduation), or if my friendships would all stay where they were despite my long absence. I made a lot of great friends this semester and strengthened friendships I already had, and even though I know they'll be there for me when I get back, I have a voice in my head asking if I'll have to remake any relationships. Five months is a long time, and eight months, the time that will pass before I'm back at OBU, is even longer.
In a way, this is the end of my world as I know it. For the first time, I'll be subjected to a new culture and be on my own in an entirely foreign place. It will be a unique, life-changing experience, and I know I won't come back the same, and my friends won't be the same either. People can change a lot in five months. When I leave in a couple of weeks, many things will be different, whether that be good, bad, or neutral. Even though I'll stay in touch with my friends, nothing can equate to spending another semester with them at school, and I'll miss them.
That said, I don't think anyone can ever be ready for the end of the world. All I can say is, "bring it on!"